How to get a certified copy of a marriage certificate in Texas
CDC says local offices set their own fees, hours and procedures for certified copies. It lists online and mailed state-verification requests, including an expedited mailing option, with payment by check or money order for mailed applications. CDC source for Texas.
CDC lists the Texas marriage-record contact as Department of State Health Services Vital Statistics Section P.O. Box 12040 Austin, TX 78711-2040. The service charge in that entry is $20.00 per individual marriage application.. Fee for search and verification of essential facts of marriage is $20.00 each.. (County) County, District, and City offices set their own hours of operation, fees, and procedures for local requests..
| Field | CDC Where to Write | Current official evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Office | Department of State Health Services Vital Statistics Section P.O. Box 12040 Austin, TX 78711-2040 | County clerk for certified marriage licenses Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
| Service charge | $20.00 per individual marriage application.. Fee for search and verification of essential facts of marriage is $20.00 each.. (County) County, District, and City offices set their own hours of operation, fees, and procedures for local requests. | $20 state verification. County certified-copy fee was not collected Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
| Years held or service coverage | Records since January 1966. Certified copies are not available from State office. Fee for search and verification of essential facts of marriage is $20.00 each. | State verification coverage begins in 1966 Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
| Ordering route | CDC entry | Order the certified license from the county where it was originally filed Official source (checked 2026-11-11) |
Getting a marriage license in Texas
The verified Texas license issuing office entry is Any county clerk. Official source (checked 2026-11-11).
The verified Texas license waiting period entry is 72 hours after issuance, subject to the exceptions and waiver in Family Code section 2.204. Official source (checked 2026-11-11).
The verified Texas license issued-license validity entry is Ceremony before the 90th day after issuance. Official source (checked 2026-11-11).
For the fee, which remain unverified here, contact the Texas official office.
Searching Texas marriage records
Ask the Texas official records office about marriage-record search options, which remain unverified here as of 2026-11-11.
Common-law marriage and community property
| Source scope | State entry |
|---|---|
| SSA common-law digest | Recognized. The passage of time and ceasing of cohabitation will not terminate a common-law marriage once it is in existence. SSA GN 00305.075. Digest effective 2023-05-30, checked 2026-11-11 |
| IRS community-property list | Listed IRS 555, checked 2026-11-11 |
For Texas, the Social Security state-law digest says Recognized. The passage of time and ceasing of cohabitation will not terminate a common-law marriage once it is in existence. This is SSA benefit-program guidance, effective 2023-05-30. The IRS community-property entry applies to married taxpayers domiciled in Texas. Its federal-tax scope is set out in Publication 555.
The numbers
| Measure | State | US or reporting-area benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage rate | 5.8 | 6.3 |
| Divorce rate | 1.9 | 2.3 |
| ACS median first-marriage age, men | 30.4 | 30.8 |
| ACS median first-marriage age, women | 27.9 | 28.8 |
In 2024, Texas had 5.8 marriages per 1,000 residents, below the US 6.3. CDC counts marriages performed in Texas, including visiting couples.
Texas's divorce rate was 1.9 per 1,000 residents in 2024, below the reporting-area 2.3.
The 2024 ACS first-marriage medians for Texas are 30.4 years for men and 27.9 for women, with respective margins of error of 0.2 and 0.3 years. The male and female Texas medians are 2.5 years apart.
From oldest to youngest across states and DC, Texas ranks 28th for the male first-marriage median and 30th for the female median. Its male estimate is below the US 30.8, and the Texas female estimate is below the US 28.8.
Texas and Las Vegas
Couples with a Texas mailing address took out 4,466 Las Vegas marriage licenses in 2025, ranking third among states and DC. Texas Las Vegas data links to the available history. The method gives address and issue-date definitions.
Over 2021 to 2025, Texas mailing addresses appeared on 25,193 Las Vegas licenses, 6.71% of the countywide statistical-file total. The highest annual Texas count in the acquired history was 5,969 in 2007. The Texas 2025 figure of 4,466 compares with 4,999 in 2024 and 4,715 in 2019.
The latest Texas Las Vegas total fell 10.66% from 2024. It is 5.28% below the 2019 level and 25.18% below the series maximum for Texas.
Texas mailing addresses appeared on 5,969 licenses in 2007, 5,246 licenses in 2008, 5,182 licenses in 2009, 5,075 licenses in 2010, 5,270 licenses in 2011, 4,983 licenses in 2012, 4,572 licenses in 2013, 4,802 licenses in 2014. County sources and coverage.
Texas mailing addresses appeared on 5,150 licenses in 2015, 4,900 licenses in 2016, 4,716 licenses in 2017, 4,721 licenses in 2018, 4,715 licenses in 2019, 3,629 licenses in 2020, 5,639 licenses in 2021, 5,264 licenses in 2022 (through 22 December). County sources and coverage.
Texas mailing addresses appeared on 4,825 licenses in 2023, 4,999 licenses in 2024, 4,466 licenses in 2025. County sources and coverage.
For a Texas couple with a Clark County license, the Nevada certificate guide links the Clerk's online, mailed and in-person ordering routes. Its officiant filing deadline is 10 calendar days after the ceremony, and a filed certified certificate costs $20.